The Journal's Mission & Aims

Background

Launched in 2002, The Writing-PAD Network encourages art and design institutions to develop the usefulness of writing within creative practice. The acronym PAD stands for Writing Purposefully in Art & Design. For studio-based practitioners this emphasis on purpose acknowledges the need to understand writing as a largely outcome-centred process. Many therefore believe that writing in, for, or from creative practice can be as important as visual discourse. However, until recent times this would have been a painfully controversial idea.

Progress

Almost half a century ago colleges of art and design were obliged to include writing as part of the degree syllabus. Many remember the aftermath as a Cold War between academic research and studio practice. Although the tensions remain, we can now be more optimistic. The word ‘research’ has been accepted by virtually everyone, and differences can be aired more openly and creatively. Issues such as English as a second language, the role of the viva voce, or plagiarism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other Specific Learning Difficulties are now being discussed. Writing-PAD is in its twelfth year, and is proud to have made a positive contribution to the possibilities for change.

Our Vision

In place of educational bureaucracy, we envision a more joined-up, student-centred, collaborative, ethical, and ecological approach to learning, making and doing. At the institutional and economic level this would entail a closer integration of research, practice, and teaching. In effect, this suggests a unified field that acknowledges writing as a catalyst to a variety of practices such as ideation, visualisation, thought, speech, action, drawing, making or research. Students would benefit from a more integrated learning environment; moreover, various practices of writing would offer some common ground for all staff. We wish to share and develop this vision. If it is imaginable and shareable, we believe that it must be attainable.

Founder Members

At present, Writing-PAD operates as a loose Network, rather than an Academy, or Institute. One of the reasons we are growing and expanding is because we try to listen to all viewpoints, and because we are wary of becoming doctrinaire or dictatorial. As Writing-PAD is a grassroots movement it can provide moral support to lone pioneers who feel under-supported. Based at Goldsmiths University of London (Centre South), we now work in conjunction with over 100 universities worldwide. As a HEFCE funded project, our initial consortium included the Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. We are now an independently funded network and are not now constrained by geography. We now have 10 Writing PAD Centres including Goldsmiths (Centre South): The University of Wolverhampton, Faculty of Art and Design (Centre West Midlands); De Montfort University, (Centre East Midlands), and York St John University College (Centre North). We have a collaboration between three institutions in the South West: University of Plymouth, Falmouth College University and Dartington College of Arts (Centre South West). We are pleased to include all who are interested in writing in art and design: Swansea Metropolitan University (Centre Wales); Edinburgh College of Art (Centre Scotland); and internationally, Limerick College of Art and Design (Centre Ireland); and Kunsthogskolen I Oslo (KHiO) (Centre Norway). This Centre includes our sister Network, ‘Pre-Design’ which includes 6 institutions within Norway. Our most recent addition to the network has been the Iceland Academy of the Arts.

Writing-PAD Membership

Up to now, Writing-PAD has been able to offer its services free of charge. In the next phase of development we must establish effective ways to finance our work. Relevant institutions will normally be invited to become either a Network Partner or a Regional Dissemination Centre. The invitation process has already started. A number of institutions have offered to make a one-off contribution of £1000 for the launch of the journal in its first year. As the lead institution, Goldsmiths University of London, contributed £3000 towards the foundation of the JWCP.

Fees and Benefits

1. Full Membership (Individuals)
For individuals, full membership will cost £33 per (€65) annum.
This entitles the member to:
One copy of the Writing-PAD journal, three times per year (equivalent to a total of £36 (€70) at normal cover price).
Concessionary admission (50%) to all Writing-PAD conferences.
Access to Writing-PAD archive of research and presentation material
Free access to the Wiki Glossary
Regular Writing-PAD news updates by email

2. Full Membership (Institutions)
For institutions, full membership will normally be £225 (€350) per annum. 4 copies of the Journal, one for each named staff member and one copy for your library.
These journals will retail at £12.00 per copy.
The benefits to institutions are:
Nominated Writing-PAD members of the institution would be eligible to become a Guest Editor/s (by negotiation).
Access to one of the largest up-to-date teaching resources in the UK
Access to full list of membership addresses
Part of a growing international presence

3. Regional Hub Membership (Institutions)
Some colleges and universities may be recognised as Regional Hubs of Writing-PAD.
In some cases, a Regional Hub may be approved as a cluster of institutions that are able to act as a virtual centre.
All Regional Hubs would need to nominate an approved representative who is willing to manage, and maintain organisational coherence among the member institutions of their cluster.
One institution within the cluster may, where appropriate, be nominated to have Writing-PAD RH (Regional Hub) status.
Benefits to the institutions of the RH would include:
Individual Writing-PAD membership rights for three members of staff. (N.B. These members of staff would normally come from different teaching areas i.e. studio, theory, language development, learning and teaching, research, management and/or an elected student.)
Full recognition of founder status within the first pages of the journal.
Identification and contact details of Writing-PAD centres across the EU and UK.
Collaborative access to a number of institutions that may foster research collaboration and possible consequent funding.
The journal will rotate the guest editor role for each edition. For the initial round of 12 journals, the guest editor status will be allotted to the founder members. Subject to agreement, several institutions submitting group contributions may wish to share this role.

Writing in Creative Practice; The Journal of Writing-PAD

Writing-PAD was funded by the Higher Education Academy to improve Learning and Teaching. It therefore began as a vehicle for discussing, supporting, and disseminating best practice. This remit will now widen to encompass research. Our first step has been to launch an international journal that will promote the work of our members and their institutions. The Journal of Writing in Creative Practice is published three times a year via Intellect Books who will distribute it internationally and will make it readily available online to members. Eventually, we expect this journal to become self-funding.

Our Journal

This official journal for the Writing-PAD Network was launched at the end of 2007